Tower-wagon



G. SCHLATTER.

TOWER WAGON.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13, 1919.

1,337,487, Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

llllllllll`l`l`l`lllllll/lll/11111105f G. SCHLATTER.

TOWER WAGON.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I3. I9I9.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

G. SCHLATTER.

TOWER WAGON.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13 1919.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

7735 lllllllllllllllllellllllllllllllll G. SCHLATTER.

TOWER WAGON.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I3. 1919.

1 ,337,487, Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

VENTO/C? Mfg/(ri QZ@ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAV SCHLATTER, OF STEINACI-I, SWITZERLAND, ASSIGNOR T0 FIRMA ADOLPHE SAUBER, OF ARBON, SWITZERLAND, A FIRM 0F SWITZERLAND.

TOWER-WAGON.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GUsTAv SCHLATTER, a citizen of the Swiss Republic, residing in Steinach, Switzerland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in TowerlVagons, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

This invention relates to tower wagons such as are commonly employed in the repair of overhead electric wiring. Such wagons usually comprise a motor vehicle and a platform movably supported upon the same so that it can be raised and lowered to furnish a suitable support for the workmen who are engaged in repairing the wiring. The present invention is concerned particularly with the means for raising and lowering the working platform, the means for locking the same in elevated position, and the 'means for rotating the platform. The invention will be more fully explained hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which it is illustrated, and in which -Figure 1 is an outline view in elevation showing the motor vehicle equipped with the movable working platform.

Figs. 2 and 3 are views, partly diagrammatic and partlyin vertical section, showing the means for supporting, raising and lowering the platform .and for locking it in elevated position.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the locking device.

Fig. 5 is a detail view in elevation illustrating particularly the means for rotating the platform.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the same in vertical section.

Fig. 7 is a. detail view in horizontal sertion on the plane indicated by the broken line 7 7 of Fig. G, looking upward.

Figs. 8 and 9 are detail views of the back pressure or check valve and the means for short-oircuiting the pump.

The motor vehicle may be constructed in any usual or suitable manner. having a suit-- able chassis frame a., a body Z), a motor located at c, driving wheels a'. and front steering wheels d.

The movable platform e, provided with a guard railing e, is mounted rotatably at the upper end of the tube f, which telescopes within a tubular standard or pillar g, suit- Specication of Letters Patent.

Application led September 13, 1919.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

serial No. 323,666.

ably supported upon the chassis frame a. The details of the means for supporting the platform rotatably, for rotating the platform, and for locking it in rotated position are clearly shown in Figs. 5., 6 and 7 and will be described more particularly hereinafter. Such details are omitted from Figs. 2 and 3 for the sake of clearness.

The supporting and extensible tube f has a free working it within the tubular standard g and has formed with it or secured to it and extended upwardly from its lower end, a cylinder f, (closed at its upper end) within which is received, with a close working lit, like a piston, a tube g. The latter is open at its upper end and is provided, a short distance below its open upper end, with a safety or relief port g2, which is uncovered by the cylinder 7" when the piston has been raised to its highest point, so that the pressure oil which is delivered to the piston tube g may escape and so cease to raise the platform higher. The lower part of the chamber within the tubular standard or pillar g forms a reservoir for the pressure oil and at g3 may be provided a relief or safety port to permit the escape of any excess of pressure oil.

The pressure oil is delivered to the tubular piston g by a pump L which may be driven in any convenient manner from the motor of the vehicle under the control of the driver. The pump is connected on the discharge side by a pipe /t in which is interposed at a convenient point a back pressure or check valve h2, which permits a free flow of oil from the pump to the cylinder y when the platform is being raised, and a. restricted flow from the cylinder back to the pump when the platform is being lowered. The reservoir in the bottom of the tubular pillar or standard y is connected by a pipe h3 with the inlet or suction side of the pump L.

It will be understood that when the working platform e is to be elevated, the pressure' oil` drawn from the reservoir in thc bottom of the standard g, is forced by the pump zA into the tubular piston g', whereby the platform is elevated, and that when the platform is to be lowered, the pump is stopped or short-circuited and` under the weight of the platform and its connections, the oil is forced backward through the pipe li', valve 71.2 and pump 71., the movement of form is gradual.

By stopping or short-circuiting the pump the elevation of the platform can be stopped at any desired Vpoint and in order to overcome the effect .of leakage and to makeit unnecessary to continue the'voperation of the pump, there is provided a mechanical locking device to retain the platform in elevated.

position, which locking device is so constructed that it cannot be released accidentally or through inattention or mistake. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and more in detail in Fig. 4, the tube f is provided at intervals with openings f2 and the tubular standard g is provided near its top with a locking bolt la which is pressed normally forward by a spring c, in a suitable casing 7a2, to enter one of the holes f2 and engage the extension tube f and may be withdrawn, to release the extension tube by a hand lever k3 mounted on the stan ard g. The bolt lc fis beveled on its under side, as at 7:4, so that the bolt shall be thrust back by the extension tube f as it rises, and is provided also with a lip 705 which prevents the withdrawal of the bolt and the release of the platform until the pump has been start.

ed and the platform raised'slightly so as to permit the bolt to be withdrawn. This device, the operation of which will be understood readily, prevents any accidental or unintended lowering of the platform. The bolt lc, by its engagement with the extension tube f, prevents rotation of the latter within the standard g.

The working platform e is secured to a suitable casting e2 (see particularly Fig. 6) which has bolted to it the downwardly extended sleeve e3. The latter has a working fit within a flanged bushing e4 which is received within the hub m of a gear m. Thehead or casting e2 is rotatable with respect to the gear m which is held from rotation through 'the engagement of its hub mwith a sleeve m2 which is provided with longitudinal ribs ma for engagement with vertical grooves m4 formed 1n a sleeve 'm5, the latter beingtted tightly in the upper end of the extension tube f. The gear m is formed with gear teeth m6 and on its under 51de, for a purpose to be explained, with peripheral notches m7. Rotatably mounted ina suitable bearing frz/,carried by the head or casting e2, is a spindle n formed near its lower end with gear teeth n2 at its lower flange n3, and` endwith a locking circular atits upper end with a head n4. The spindle isshouldered at the head n* and in the bear- ,lng n is a spiral spring n which normally ,presses fthe spindle upward, holding the circular flange .na in one of the notches,. m7-, -f of the gear mand thereby locking the platform against rotaticu with respect to the gear m. The driving pinion formed by the teeth n2 is always in engagement with the gear teeth m6 of the gear m and when a suitable key o is inserted in the head n4 of the -spindle '(n. from above and is pressed dow'n, the spindle a is moved downward against the spring a5 sufficiently to move the ange 'n3 out of engagement with the locking notch in the gear m. If the key is then rotated by means of its handle o the platform will be rotated, the pinion traveling with the platform about the stationary gear m with the teeth m6 of which it is inengagement. After the rotation of the platform has been started no further pressure downward upon the key 0 is required as'the flange n3 will thenl bear against the under side of the gear, but when the next notch mT is brought into line with the spindle, the spring a5 will lift the spindle and bring 8 the flange 11,3 into engagement with the notch, thereby again locking the platform against rotation. The key o can at any time be withdrawn and dropped'into a socket provided therefor in the platform, therebyy leaving the platform unobstructed for the workmen. l

It will be understood that various changes in details of construction can be made to suitdiiferent conditions of use or the vconvenience of the manufacturer and thatl the invention, therefore, is not limited to thev precise details ofV construction shown .and described herein.

I claim-asmy invention:

l. In` an apparatus of the character der. scribed, the combination of a tubular standard, an extension member having a cylinder with its upperend closed, a `fixed tubular piston-like member'tting within the cylin- 105 der and -having its upper end open, and

- means to supplyfliquid under 'pressure Ato Vwith its upper en d closed, a fixed tubular piston-likeA member fitting within the cylinder and having its upper end open, and

.means to supply liquid under pressure to said tubular piston-like member, the tubular piston-like memberv having a relief opening.

below its upper end to limit the upward movement. 1

. 3. In an apparatus of thecharacter described, the combination of a tubular standard, forming at its lower end a li uid reservoir, an .extension member mova lev freelywithin the standard and having a central cylinder at its upper end, a tubularpistonlike member fixed in the lower end of the Vstaridard and having a close fit within the cylinder and an open, upper end, a pump, a

connection from the reservoir to the intake A side ofthe pump anda connection from the 189 discharge side of the pump to the tubular piston-like member.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a tubular standard, forming at its lower end a liquid reservoir, an extension member movable freely within the standard and having4 a central cylinder at its upper end, a tubular pistonlike member fixed in the lower end of the standard and having a close Iit Within the cylinder and an open, upper end` a pump, a connection from the reservoir to the intake side of the pump, a connection from the discharge side of the pump to the tubular piston-like member and a restricted back pressure valve in the connection between the pump and the tubular piston-like member.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a tubular standard, an extension member, hydraulic means to raise the extension member and a bolt mounted on the standard and adapted to engage the extension member and having a lip on its upper side to be engaged by the extension member to prevent the Withdrawal of the bolt until the extension member is slightly raised, and means to Withdraw the bolt.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a tubular standard, an extension member movable vertically Within the standard, means to hold the same from rotation, hydraulic means to elevate the extension member and a Working platform rotatably mounted at the upper end of the extension member, a gear fixed on the extension member and a driving pinion carried by the platform and engaging the fixed gear.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a tubular standard,`an extension member movable vertically Within the standard, means to hold the same from rotation, hydraulic means to elevate the extension member and a Working platform rotatably mounted at the upper end of the extension member, a gear fixed on the extension member anda driving pinion carried by the platform and engaging the xed gear, the fixed gear being provided with locking notches and the driving pinion being movable axially and provided with a locking disk to be moved into or out of engagement With the fixed gear.

This specification signed this 3() day of July, A. D. 1919.

`GrSTAV SOHLATTER. 

